The Fumarole6 min read

There is a geological phenomenon known as a fumarole, found in areas of volcanic activity. A fumarole is a vent or an opening in the earth’s surface that emits steam and volcanic gases. They can be quite dangerous, as they can emit suffocating levels of carbon dioxide, acidic sulfide, or chloride gas. After a snowstorm in 2009, three ski patrol members at a popular California ski resort were fencing off a volcanic fumarole when the snow around the vent collapsed. Two members slid into the deep hole and rapidly lost consciousness. Another one went down into the hole to help them and succumbed to the fumes. All three of them died.

The problem with a toxic gas is that you cannot see it. But its effects, though silent, are deadly.

We are approaching another Life Sunday, that time when we remember an infamous day in American history—January 22, 1973—when the Supreme Court decided in the case of Roe v. Wade that, quite apart from anything in the Constitution, there was a right for a woman to have an abortion. For over 48 years, those who believed in and valued the sanctity of human life have fought against this heavy shroud of evil that lay over our land from the horrendous genocide of abortion. On June 24, 2022, Roe was finally overturned by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, said, “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely—the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”

But of course, that is not the end of the story.

The Dobbs decision gave the abortion issue back to the states. Some states used that freedom to protect the lives of the unborn.  But we all know where our State of Michigan went, when on November 8, 2022—another day of infamy—after a great deal of propaganda and misinformation on the issue, voters chose to enshrine abortion in Michigan for all nine months of pregnancy without restriction, passing what was called Proposal 3.

And here we are, in January of 2025, still fiercely battling for the precious lives of dear little babies, who just happen to have residence in the womb.

But we will never give up this fight.

Like those volcanic fumaroles, the toxic gas of abortion reaches into every crevice of society. It affects how we look at the value of life itself, the lives of others, and our lives as well. If an unborn child is not worth protecting, then perhaps there are other groups of people not worth our protection. It may be no coincidence that we are witnessing a rise in Anti-Semitism, for example. Or a terrorist-driven truck plowing through a crowd of innocent people in New Orleans. Or a national rise in suicide rates, including an increasing push for physician-assisted suicide. If human life is not sacred, what does it matter whether we live or die?

But human life IS sacred, for GOD gives life as a gift. And God not only gives life but He so loved us that He gave us His own Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).

So, the battle for the right to life goes on.

We need to clearly cut through the smokescreen of lies and deceit that are used so well by abortion advocates to cover up the real issue. Abortion is not a reproductive right. It is not about health care, though that has been a successful label to disguise what at the heart of things is spiritually, emotionally, and often physically harmful to the mother, and always deadly to the child. There is nothing good that comes out of an abortion. The anticipated result of every single abortion is this: A dead baby.

When someone tells us, “I don’t like abortion, but we need to maintain the right to abortion because women can die otherwise without proper medical help,” then be ready to take that on with facts. The fact is that no state anywhere prohibits a doctor from doing what is necessary during a crisis pregnancy to save the life of the mother, and that includes ectopic pregnancies. We need to continue to push for the best medical care and use of technological advances to protect all people, adults, children, and the unborn. That is the mark of a civilized society. The current abortion culture —especially here in Michigan—is the mark of a barbarian society. Of this, we should be ashamed.

Moms and Dads, pick up your child. Look into their eyes. Grandparents, or aunts and uncles, cuddle with that little boy or girl that is so dear to you. THIS is what the battle is about. Churchgoers, look at that baby or child in the pew next to you. They have a right to life. They had that right to life even when they were in the womb. They are not just animals, evolutionary products of chance that have no value. They are not disposable. They are human beings, created in the image of God. Don’t let the advocates of abortion and the media lie to you and try to convince you that this is about health care or reproductive freedom. It’s not. It’s about LIFE.

And so, we will keep on keeping on. We will remain undaunted by the challenges ahead. We will step up to provide even more resources for our pregnancy centers to help young women choose life. We will do our part to encourage our family and friends to see the beauty and dignity in each life. We will look at each baby, born and unborn, as a gift from God, with boundless value. We will wisely use our resources, our monetary gifts, and our talents and abilities to support and engage in the battle for life. Most of all, we will continue to pray to the LORD OF LIFE, to work in the mind and heart of each person to bring them to faith in Jesus, that they may be saved, and that they may join us in beholding the value of every person under God’s heaven.

Like a fumarole that emits toxic gasses, beware of the fumarole of the abortion culture, for that poison seeps out into every level of our society, and its effects are devastating. Stand up and fight! Engage in the battle for the Right to Life!

We have One who fights alongside us and is for us, as the great Epiphany hymn says:

“For Christ goes with us all the way – today, tomorrow, every day!

His love is never ending!

Sing out! Ring out! Jubilation! Exaltation! Tell the story!

Great is He, the King of Glory!”

 

 What YOU can do:

• Contact your representative and let him/her know you’re not giving up. To find your representative in Washington, D.C. and their contact information, click here. To find your state representative and their contact information, click here.
• Participate in the National March for Life on January 25 in Washington, D.C. For more information, click here.
• Participate in the Michigan March for Life on November 6 in Lansing. For more information, click here.
• Subscribe to the quarterly Michigan Lutherans for Life newsletter, Lifelines. To be added to the e-mail distribution list, send a request topresident@gmail.com
• Volunteer at a local pregnancy resource center.

_{Fumarole Photo © Freezer/Unsplash; Michigan March for Life photo (2023) by Elisa Schulz/Michigan District, LCMS}